By Tyler Wright
On 22 June at 1.30am local time, a 5.9 magnitude earthquake struck the south-eastern region of Afghanistan.
According to United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) Afghanistan, the earthquake impacted Barmal, Ziruk, Nika and Gayan in Paktika province and Spera district in Khost Province, with up to 200 people killed and 100 people injured in Gayan district alone.
Assessments of 51 per cent of Afghanistan’s population completed by OCHA revealed 62,000 people were found to have been affected by the earthquake with more than half living in open spaces or makeshift shelters.
This represents more than one quarter of overall families across Gayan, Barmal and Spera districts.
The humanitarian response from OCHA is ongoing, with $110.3 million USD needed for emergency shelter and non-food items and water, sanitation and hygeine among other resources.
Over 11,000 kilometres away in the Dandenong Ranges, Belgrave student Saminah Abdul Rahim has taken matters into her own hands with the help of the community and begun a fundraising effort to support the earthquake affected regions of Afghanistan.
On Saturday 10 July, Saminah raised $900 to support her home country in a bake sale held at the Where the Wilde Things Are storefront in Olinda.
“I’ve always wanted to help my country- and I used to feel like ‘when I grow up, I’ll help.’ And then when I saw what happened, I realised I don’t have to grow up and have a job to do something. I can do it right now.” Saminah said.
“Then I thought about a bake sale because I’ve seen other people do it at school; they do it and they raise money, so I thought it was a good idea.”
Emerald Village Bakery & Cafe supplied Saminah with supplies to create cupcakes and cookies, helping turn her love of cooking and baking into a cause for a greater good.
“I wasn’t expecting that much support, and when I got the support there were people coming to me and taking to me about how they think my country is a beautiful place – that made me feel happy because there’s a lot of [false] stuff about my country out there,” Saminah said.
“When people don’t talk about that and they actually talk about what I see my country as – that makes me happy.”
Saminah has also organised an online fundraising campaign through platform Aseel to raise emergency relief funds for impacted Afghan civilians all the way from Victoria, with a target of $2,500.
“I moved from Afghanistan to Australia seven years ago and have a strong desire to help the people of Afghanistan in whatever way I can,” Saminah’s note on the site reads.
“I know many would also like to donate directly which would be greatly appreciated.”
To donate to Saminah’s fundraising campaign, visit https://aseelapp.com/en_au/funds-afghan-sam.html
